Positive Learning Climates KnowledgeBase

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

The Positive Learning Climates KnowledgeBase is an online resource to aid educators in nurturing school climates conducive to learning. It is organized around five elements aimed at developing a positive learning climate.

Task 3: Study School Climate

Guideline: A school's climate is impacted by the physical facility, interpersonal relationships of students and staff members, the school's neighborhood, programs/services and academic performance. A school's climate impacts how well it is able to meet its state's academic performance standards. As a result, assessing the school's climate and its affect on students is essential to improving academic performance.

resources

Checklists

Identifying Bullying in Your School

This checklist excerpted from the U.S. Department of Justice's document, The Problem of Bullying in Schools, lists critical questions police should ask in analyzing the problem of bullying in schools, even if the answers are not always readily available. The answers to these and other questions might help police guide the school in choosing the most appropriate set of responses.

Tools

Safe Schools/Healthy Students National Evaluation School Climate Survey

This school climate survey is a product of the federal Safe Schools / Healthy Students initiative. This version is intended to be administered with a school's students.

School Safety Profiler

As noted at its website, "The School Safety Profiler is a free tool to measure perceived safety at your school, so you can reduce or prevent violence. The Profiler is designed to help you meet needs assessment requirements for school safety funds, as well as to guide you in creating a positive school environment."

References

The Challenge of Assessing School Climate

This article from the December 2008/January 2009 edition of ASCD's Educational Leadership publication explores issues associated with measuring school climate.

The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and are intended for general reference purposes only. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or the Center, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Some resources on this site require Adobe Acrobat Reader. This website archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.